Easy Button?

Whenever it comes to poo...lack there of, dark, etc. I get concerned...with good reason having been through all we did with Brock. Camden has always been a true poo champion as he is on the Nutramigen (partially digested not milk formula). Grayson and Keaton on Neosure which is milk based and neither poo regularly....they are once a weekers at most. We have been assured that this is just their norm and since they have self induced poos to begin with; they were fine.

So Grayson began getting really dark stools about a month and a half ago. I took him in and they tested for blood; all came back well. His pooing or lack their of became increasingly worse. He became much more fussy as he was trying to get "it" out. A couple of weeks ago while I was feeding them lunch he began to scream unconsoleably. I checked to see if he had a dirty diaper and saw that his rectum appeared to be inside out. I freaked out. After finally finding someone to watch the other two; I rushed him to the ER. He was diagnosed with having a rectal prolapse which they pushed in what had not gone in on its own and also did a physical exam... paranoid me wanted to make sure all else was well. They told us to keep his stool soft by giving him prune juice or karo syrup in his bottles which I did at the next feed.

It wasnt but days later that Grayson continued having little hard stools and would scream as if he were in pain. I decided to take him into the after hours clinic where the on call Dr gave him two enimas along with an hour of rectal stimulation. In my opinion what came out was no where compared what was put in. He did however seem a little bit relieved. We followed up with our pediatrician four days later. She recommended we get a sweat test to see if he had cystic fibrosis as rectal prolapse is a warning sing of the disease in babies. The day befroe the Dr we saw in urgent care called to see if we anted a referral to a GI dr. I told the Dr that night all about Brock and wanted him to know my concerns. He felt that a trip to GI was necesary.

I took him to see GI where we began the apt with the story of Brock. He was already familiar as he reviewed the mistreatment of Brock's case. He also gave me answers I have wanted this entire time; but wouldnt seek the answers. He did not believe Brock had Hirschprungs Disease. he thought that Brock developed NEC while in the NICU (which he had a couple of work ups for; but always came back as to being fine so feeds began again and meds were ended). So a piece of intestine esentially died off causing an obstruction. He never pooed which ended up with him having colitis...and that and sepsis is all she wrote.

So...he was well aware my concern. After hearing Grayson's story and examining his rectum....he concluded he was full of poo and could still feel the prolapse. He as well...had no concern of a blockage or Hirschprungs Disease as he was able to feel and get out some poo. He insisted we stop the mirilax as he did not like children under 1 to use it and said to use 100% juice such as apple and prune. Since we were already at the hospital he sent us for an Xray and also felt that Grayson needed the sweat test for cystic fibrosis which he was able to schedule. I asked if it was needed that Grayson have the barium dye enima (the same as Brock had which showed some sort of block or possible Hirschprungs Disease). He felt that it truly was not needed but if it would make me sleep better and give him complete reassurance...than why not.

I took him to get the xray (which showed a ton of backed up poo) and called to get the barium dye study scheduled. We switched Grayson's formula whcih the GI Dr recommended and he instantly began to poo. This almost made me not want to put him throught the enima study. We took him anyway. I could not bare to take another son to a place that I took Brock just 2 days before he died...it was overwhelming. So while Jeff toook Grayson to what we believed to be a now pointless apt. I took the other two for a walk. While walking back home, I called Jeff to what I thought he would say was all ok. Not so much. Grayson's test looked as Brock's did, there was a narrowing and then a build up of poo. i frantically called my pediatrician to see what we should do. She had already contacted GI and the surgeon. An urgent surgeon consult was put in and they now have three days to call and schedule a biopsy. It is either Hirschprungs disease or the milk allergy which caused the severe block. All I can think of is how I can not lose another baby. She assured me we are not close to how bad Brock got. Brock developed colitis from never going poo. I was told to make sure he has at least a stool a day, not run a fever, and continues to eat. If any of this changes; we go straight to the hospital.

It is hard not to think about the worst or relate the situation to that of Brock's. However; I know I am not in control and HE is. God please be with my baby and keep him safe from harms way. How blessed I am for faith and for a precious little fighter. This is the boy who lived his first month on a respirator, who we were told would come back from hernia surgery on a vent, and who was suspected to not come home until way after the other boys. All he defied....